The Secret in the Tears
by TwiFic Doctorward Contest
Summary: Not only is Edward Cullen a new father, but also the head doctor at Seattle Hospital. Though can he make it through his first day back, without a few distractions? Entry for the Twific Doctorward Contest.


**Twific Doctorward Contest**

**Title: **The Secret in the Tears

**Prompt #: **26 and 27

**Pairing: **Edward-Bella

**Genre:** Family, Romance

**Summary: **Not only is Edward Cullen a new father, but also the head doctor at Seattle Hospital. Though can he make it through his first day back, without a few distractions?

**Word count:**3072

**Rating:** M

**Disclaimer: **The author does not own any publicly recognizable entities herein. No copyright infringement is intended.

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Edward's POV

Today was my first day back. The first day I had to go to work after our daughter's birth. My father, who happened to be my boss, let Bella and I have a few weeks off to take care of Clara, our newborn daughter.

Even though Clara was an easy baby, she had Bella and me up all night last night and now in the morning, I was ready to crash.

"Oh sweetheart, she's just a little baby. She's going to cry for the first year or two of her life."

My mother chuckled, sipping her coffee.

My mother was staying with us for a little while. When we were about to crash last night, she had come in and let us sleep, because she knew I had to be up in a few hours and Bella just needed her sleep.

"You would think she would be a bit easier on us though, Mom," I said.

She didn't get to say another word before we heard footsteps. I turned in my seat to see my wife with our daughter in her arms. When Bella came over to me, she gave me a light kiss and set Clara in her swing.

"She's finally sleeping," Bella said.

"Bella, sweetheart, are you going to go into work? I can take care of Clara," Mom said.

"Not yet, Esme, but thank you for offering. Carlisle told me I would get a bit longer off work," Bella said.

My wife looked over at me and smiled, I just smiled back. It made me remember if I hadn't gone to work that day, I would have never met Bella.

"_You're not sick, Edward. Just hungover," Emmett scoffed at me._

"_I shouldn't go to work with this horrible headache, Emmett," I said rubbing my temples._

"_You know what always helps?" _

"_What helps?" I asked looking towards him. _

"_Coffee, and I believe Dr. Cullen that they have coffee at the hospital! Now get up and get dressed. Your dad is going to kill you if you don't show up," he said._

_I grumbled and got up from my seat, dragging my feet as I walked to my bedroom to get dressed. My head was killing me, and all I wanted to do was go back to sleep. _

_When I got to my room I noticed my coat was already sitting on the bed waiting for me. _

"_Stupid Emmett got in my stuff," I mumbled._

_When I walked to my dresser, I hesitated. I grabbed my clothes after staring at my dresser for a few minutes. When I went into the bathroom I slipped off my pajamas and put on my work clothes. _

_While looking in the mirror I noticed I looked like a complete idiot. When I went down to grab my brush I could not find it._

"_Emmett!" I said._

_After hearing loud footsteps going up the stairs, I heard him open the door a peep._

"_Yes, dear brother of mine?" _

"_Where the hell is my brush?" I snapped._

"_Um…" he said staring to back away from me._

"_Tell me!" _

"_Ruffers ate it?" _

"_Emmett!" I said._

"_Fine! When we were drunk last night, this odd girl came into the bathroom and when she came out she had your brush in her hand. She said she was going to clone you and left," He said. _

"_Clone me? Are you sure she didn't just put it somewhere? And how would you know for sure? We were drunk__**,**__" I said._

"_Well she could have said something else," he replied, rubbing the back of his head._

"_Emmett, my hair is a mess. If I go to work and Dad see's my hair, I'm going to die," I said._

"_Your hair is always a mess, Edward. He's not going to care if it's a mess or not," _

"_Forget it then. Go get my coat. I'm going to be late," _

_Snapping at my brother didn't help my headache, but I knew at this point, pills and coffee were the only two things that were going to help my head. _

_When Emmett came back, he had my coat in his hands. I grabbed it from his hand and slipped it on. _

"_Is being late going to be so hard?" _

"_Emmett, have you ever seen Dad when he gets in his work mode? If anyone__is late on his team he's going to freak," I said._

"_Has anyone been late before?" he asked._

_I nodded my head and left the bathroom as he followed me._

"_And?" _

_When I got down to the kitchen and grabbed my keys, I looked over at my brother._

"_They don't work at the hospital anymore," I said._

_I walked out to my car, leaving my shocked brother standing there._

_After getting in the car I clenched my fists and started it up. I loved my car._

_When I looked at the time on the dash, I thought I would be the next to be fired._

"_Edward?" Emmett asked._

"_What?" _

"_Can I take the Hummer home?" He asked._

"_Do whatever you want. I have to get going. I'm going to be late," I told him._

_Before I could close the open window, he put his head through the open space._

"_Where are the keys?" he asked._

"_In my room. They're in my sock drawer. Bottom left," I said._

"_Thanks dude!" he said smiling and walking off._

_I closed the window and put the car in drive before speeding away. While driving to work, I tried to think of the ways my dad was going to fire me. _

_When I arrived, I didn't even bother looking down at my dash to look at the time, I knew I was late. _

_I grabbed my watch and slipped it on before getting out of the car. I slammed my door and locked the car before starting to walk/run into the hospital. _

_When I was inside, I saw my Dad waiting with his arms crossed._

"_You're late."_

"_Emmett," I said._

_He rolled his eyes, and I bit my lip worried the next words that would come out of his mouth would be "you're fired". _

"_Get to work. You still have to train the new nurse," he said walking off._

"_New nurse?" I mumbled._

_I shook my head and walked off to my office. When I walked into my office, I was shocked to see someone sitting there._

"_Excuse me? Who are you and what are you doing here?" I asked walking to my desk._

"_Dr. Cullen. I am the new nurse," she said._

"_Yes of course. What is your name, girl?" I asked._

"_Ms. Isabella Swan, but you can call me Bella," she said._

Isabella Swan who became Isabella Cullen a year and a half later.

"What are you thinking about, Dr. Cullen?" Bella hummed next to me.

"You, nurse Cullen?" I said nuzzling my face into her shoulder.

She giggled and kissed my head.

"Okay, Edward. I think you should get to work," Mom said with a laugh.

I rolled my eyes at my mother and walked over to my sleeping daughter.

"You be good for daddy okay, Pumpkin?" I whispered stroking her hair.

Until I went to stand up, I didn't even notice what her onesie said

"_My Daddy is a DOCTOR. What super power does your daddy have?"_

When I stood up from where my daughter was sitting, I looked over at my wife and smiled.

"Have a good day, Edward," she said.

"I'll be thinking about my wife and daughter all day," I mumbled to her.

She bit her lip.

"Go to work, Edward. We _can't_," she said.

Not yet, that is. Not until the doctor gave us permission. These past few weeks have been pure torture.

"I'll see you ladies later. Don't do anything exciting without me," I said.

Mom laughed and shook her head as I grabbed my keys. I hadn't gotten rid of my man car when I married Bella, but I rarely got to use it with Clara here. I was allowed to use it when I was alone, and today I was alone.

When I got out to my car I ran my hand over the dash, happy to remember all the times I spent in this car. I had taken Bella out on our first date in this car. Because there was no back seat, Bella and I spent the whole time in the front giggling and being drunk in our own ways. Our first date wasn't one to forget.

I shook my head while smiling and drove out of the driveway in my car. When I got to work, I didn't even bother looking at the time, a habit of mine ever since that day.

When I got inside I saw my Dad, but he wasn't waiting for me. He was talking to another doctor/nurse. When he looked over my way, he smiled and the doctor/nurse's eyes traveled the same way as his. I frowned when I saw Tanya Denali talking to my father. Tanya had always liked me, and she'd told me she's not going to give up on me, even if I am married.

"Hello, Edward," Tanya said coming over to me.

She ran her hand over my arm and I clenched my fists. I hated how Tanya did this to me, when she _knew _I was married and un-interested.

"Tanya, _now,_" my father snapped at her when he walked over.

She rolled her eyes and scoffed before starting to walk away.

"Goodbye, _Edward_," she said, blowing me a kiss.

I rolled my eyes at Tanya and looked to my father.

"Hello, son. How is my granddaughter today?" he asked.

I laughed. My father _adores _his granddaughter.

"She's a very cranky baby today. Bella and I were up almost all night with her," I said.

"That's a normal newborn. You're lucky you only have one child at a time. Your mother and I didn't have the easiest time with you _and _Emmett," he said.

I rolled my eyes at my father. He has brought up that my brother and I were hard babies ever since Bella and I told my parents we were expecting.

"Dad, I _get _it. I just got lucky with this one," I said.

"You really did. I don't really get it actually. You're a twin _and _Bella is a twin. I would have expected twins from you two," he said.

I liked just having Clara. Well for now, that is.

"How many people do we have coming in today?" I asked, ignoring his last statement.

"Not too many, though Sara is coming in today. She's missed you," he said.

Sara was the only cancer patient they had around here, but she wasn't a live-in. Since it wasn't that bad, she just came in for checkups.

"What time?" I asked.

"Not for another hour or so. No other patients until then," he said.

"I'll be around," I said nodding my head at my father.

He smiled at me and walked the other way. I didn't know what to do until it hit me.

Even though I was only there a few weeks ago with my daughter, I knew there would be new babies in the nursery so I made my way there.

It wasn't a long walk to the nursery, but it also wasn't the shortest. When I got to the nursery I didn't see any nurses or anything around, just lovey parents.

My daughter had been here just a few weeks ago; when I was the father of a newborn girl instead of a doctor.

She is my daughter, and even though I haven't been gone long, I already miss her.

"Doctor Cullen?" I heard a nurse say from behind me.

I looked behind me to see a nurse I knew, the nurse that helped deliver my daughter. Katherine, was one of the oldest but best.

"Hello, Katherine," I said.

"How is Clara, Dr. Cullen?" she asked smiling.

"She is very well. Thank you for asking, Katherine," I said.

She came and stood next to me as I stared into the nursery.

When looking around my eyes instantly found the baby with no name, and no parents on her card.

"What happened there?" I asked pointing to the baby through the window.

She smiled.

"Come with me," she said taking my hand.

I followed Katherine into the nursery and over to the baby who was lying there in the crib. She was sleeping and reminded me of the first time I saw Clara.

"When this little girl was born the mother didn't bother sticking around for anything. She said she didn't want her baby. We tried to urge her to change her mind, but she never did. We have a misnamed mother and a no name daughter," she said.

I instantly felt bad for the baby, she had no parents to grow up with. She would most likely spend the rest of her life in an orphanage or foster care.

"You just let her mother get up and walk out?" I asked.

"Her mother was seventeen," she said.

I felt anger.

"She wouldn't even be able to sign herself out," I quietly said.

"Doctor Cullen, why don't we talk out here? We don't need to wake the babies," she said.

I followed her out of the nursery and into the hallway. I wasn't happy _at all. _

"Her mother signed her out, Doctor Cullen. We had no choice but to let her go," she said.

I pulled at my hair.

"How long has she been here?" I asked.

"Only a few days. Her mother left last night," she said.

I, again, pulled at my hair.

"I know you and your wife just welcomed your daughter, Doctor Cullen, but people were talking," she said.

"Talking?"

"About your wife."

I sighed. Of course they were talking about Bella.

"We need to talk in my office," I said.

She nodded at me and we walked off, ignoring the nursery behind us. When we got to the office I hesitated.

"Doctor Cullen?" she asked.

"I'm sorry, Katherine. I'm just thinking."

"If you don't want to talk, Doctor Cullen—"she said.

"I'm fine, Katherine. I was thinking of something."

She nodded at me.

When I opened the door, I was shocked to see my wife sitting there.

"Edward," she said hugging me close.

"What are you doing here?"

"Aren't you supposed to be working?" she asked.

"Where's Clara?"

"Esme took her to the park. I told her she shouldn't since Clara would never remember," she said.

"And you just came here?"

"I do work here. I could have come if I wanted."

"True," I said.

I heard Katherine clear her throat from behind us. Bella's eyes immediately went her way.

"Hello, Katherine," she said.

"Hello, Mrs. Cullen," Katherine said.

"None of that, Katherine. Mrs. Cullen is my mother-in-law. Please call me Bella," Bella said smiling.

"I was just about to talk about you actually, Mrs.—Bella," she said.

Bella looked at me concerned.

"I have a feeling I may know what you are talking about, Katherine," she said.

Bella was very sensitive when the doctors told her after she had given birth to Clara. She, could not have any more children.

"I'm talking about you and your husband's chance of ever having another child," she said.

"Go on."

I sat in my seat, and she brought over another seat sitting next to me.

"A couple nights ago a young pregnant team came in. She instantly knew she had been in labor, so we transferred her to the maternity ward. A couple hours later, she delivered her daughter. She had told us she had never wanted her child and to put her in the nursery _alone. _She left last night. Her mother checked her out and they left. We had no contact for the mother of the child—"Katherine said.

"Katherine. I don't think Bella and I—"

Bella cut me off.

"She left her?" Bella asked.

"She did. We have absolutely _nothing _on her mother. Her mother had left identification, but had lied about her name. We had absolutely no records on her," Katherine said.

"Katherine that's _not _possible."

"Apparently it is. We have a baby girl with no mother or father. She's most likely going to spend her whole life in foster care."

"Unless we adopt her," Bella said.

"_Bella, _this would be a very big thing for us. Don't you think Clara is enough for us now?" I asked.

"How dare you even think that, Edward Cullen! That little baby is going to be alone her _whole life _if someone doesn't adopt her," Bella said.

Bella was pissed at me, and well…I didn't blame her.

"You two have some time to think. She's right down in the nursery," Katherine said, standing from her seat and walking out.

I looked over at my wife concerned, what was she thinking?

"I can't let a little baby sit in a foster home her whole life, Edward," Bella said.

"Though Bella is this the right thing to do _right _now? If we adopted her it would be like just having another newborn."

"Edward. Don't you just love our daughter? Didn't you ever think of having another daughter…sometime?" she asked.

"Of course I did. I just didn't expect it so soon," I said.

"I think adopting this little girl would be the right thing," she said.

"It would take us months," I said.

"It would not. She's only three days old, Edward, and she has no parents. Two to four months at the most."

"And you're one hundred percent sure about this?" I asked.

She nodded her head.

"I am. I got attached the minute Katherine said her mother had left," she said.

I stood from my seat and held out my hand to my wife. She smiled and stood up, taking my hand.

"Let's go meet our daughter."

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